April Madness
by Liseli Canis
Summary: A few shorts from my Tumblr for the Arc-V 30 Day Challenge. No pairings. Mostly.
1. Day 1: April Fool's

Yuzu smiled to herself and quickly clasped her hands behind her back, waiting for the two teens to come down. She didn't have to wait long, soon enough she heard running footsteps followed by a crash and muttered apologies. Hikage was the first to enter the living room, followed by Tsukikage.

"Good morning," Yuzu giggled as subtly as she could. "You both look great today."

Both were dressed in their usual uniforms but there was something different. Instead of red, Hikage was wearing blue. Instead of blue, Tsukikage was wearing red. The older ninja nudged Tsukikage forward, giving him a glare that said 'fix this'.

"Hiiragi-san…do you know anything about this?"

Shaking her head, she took a seat on one of their couches and crossed her legs. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Fuuma-san."

"Your grin says otherwise." The serious tone in his voice only made the grin become wider.

"Do you know what today is?" Both brothers glanced at each other and shook their heads.

"Well, yes I do know something becauuuuuse" Yuzu brought her hands forward and popped a small party favor in their general direction, "April Fool's!"


	2. Day 2: Smiles

"Okay, are your eyes closed?" When his son nodded, Yusho waved his hand in front of his son's eyes to make sure he wasn't peeking. "Keep them closed, son."

He reached inside his jacket and pulled out two cards. "Hold out your hand, Yuuya."

"Daaad." Behind them, Yoko stifled her laughter at their son's impatient whine. Yuya's lips thinned into a pout, but Yusho patted his head.

With a frustrated sigh, Yuuya held his hands out, his palms turned up. He felt something being placed into them and he scrunched up his face to make sure that he kept his eyes closed. A thumb stroked over one of this objects in his hands. Flat…felt like cardboard…but eerily familiar. No way…

"You can open your eyes now."

Slowly, his lashes fluttered open and he blinked. Suspicions confirmed. Those were Duel Monsters cards. Gasping, he turned them over and found himself staring at the Magician of Astromancy and the Magician of Chronomancy. "Da-dad, aren't these…?"

His father grinned at him and nodded. "They will be new friends in your deck now, son. Use these cards wisely to bring smiles to everyone with your dueling."

Yuuya sniffed and cradled the cards against his chest. "I will, Dad!"


	3. Day 4: Yusalad

"Yuzu, what is this?" Yuuya stared down at the plate in front of him, unsure of what to make of the strange salad Yuzu had made for him.

* * *

"Looks delicious, thanks Rin!" Digging right in, Yuugo chewed his salad happily, not caring if it tasted a little strange. Rin made it for him, so who cares about the taste?!

* * *

"Eh, it's all right. Don't give me that look, Serena." the self proclaimed Fusion prince, Yuuri, dabbed his mouth with a napkin. "I know what you're thinking but I don't believe the bananas were necessary. Do you hate me?"

* * *

Yuuto smiled as he carefully divided the salad Ruri had made into thirds. "A great haul as always, Ruri."


	4. Day 5: Place Holder

The CEO of LDS folded his hands in front of him, staring down at the ninja standing in front of his desk. It made Tsukikage feel a bit uncomfortable, but he was not about to complain to the person that hired him.

"As a Lancer, you know the risks, yes?" Akaba Reiji's voice cut through the silence like a hot knife through butter.

The ninja tensed a bit, remembering all too well what had happened just a few days ago. "Yes." He heard the young CEO get up from his chair and move but he kept his head down.

Reiji stopped behind him, adjusting his glasses. "I'm going to give you a new mission on top of that, Tsukikage. Watch my brother for me."

At this, the ninja snapped his head up in alarm. "Sir? Surely you wouldn't…"

He was smiling. "Reira is perfectly capable of handling himself, but.." he snapped his fingers and the child in question walked in. Reira Akaba looked scared, his arms choking the teddy bear he held in his arms and Tsukikage's eyes immediately softened. "I feel like you should assist him." Giving Reira's head a final pat on the head, he turned to leave. "I'll let you two get acquainted."

As soon as the door closed behind him, Reira visibly relaxed, letting his hands drop to the side. "Um…Nii-san told me you had a brother too. What is he like?"

The question was innocent enough, but Tsukikage felt like he'd just taken a blow from the Obelisk Force. Eyes crinkling in a manner that he hoped seemed friendly, he answered. "Hikage was…is…uh…he can be a bit abrasive at times, but he means well. He's strict but also very kind and…" Tsukikage had to blink several times to stop the tears forming in his eyes. "and I can't wait to Duel him again." He felt a hand tugging at his scarf tail and he looked down.

Reira was staring at him intensely and after a second, held up his teddy bear to him. Tsukikage took it from him and stared at the thing in mild confusion.

In a voice that sounded a lot older than he was, Reira said, "I'll lend him to you for now, so you won't miss your brother as much. Think of it as a placeholder until our job is done."


	5. Day 7: Crossover

Yuzu, Serena, Ruri, and Rin meet their predecessors to get love advice.

* * *

Yuzu: Wait, so you are in love with two guys except they are the same person?

Anzu: It's….complicated.

* * *

Asuka: Oh don't worry about it, when he ignores you it means he loves you.

Serena: What is love? Can I eat it?

* * *

Aki: (sobbing) Tell me your secrets, Rin-chan!

Rin: (pats Aki on the back) Have you tried throwing a wrench at him?

* * *

Kotori: Okay on three, we're going to shout our love's name as loudly as we can, okay? One…two….three! YUUUUMAAAAAAAA!

Ruri: Yuuuu…..you sound like my brother when he was looking for me.


	6. Day 10: I'm Here

He should have been asleep like the others were. He envied them a little, but Kurosaki Shun was used to nights with little to no sleep. It had been like this back in the XYZ Dimension.

Tomorrow will be the day that the Lancers were to dimension hop to the Synchro Dimension in hopes of swaying some duelists to their side to stop the Fusion Dimension from trying to unify the four worlds. He didn't know for sure if they hadn't also been attacked, but right now, there wasn't much he could aside from trusting Akaba Reiji's decision. He was willing to cooperate if it meant rescuing Ruri.

"Why are you still awake?" Shun looked up to see Sakaki Yuuya blinking sleepily at him from his cot near his. His eyes narrowed. Sakaki Yuuya. The boy that looked so much like his best friend, but wasn't.

Shun tore his eyes from the boy to stare at the ceiling. "Nothing that concerns you."

He could hear Sakaki's bedsprings creak as he shifted in his bed. "We'll get your sister back. Just like I'll get Yuzu back. As long as we're both still breathing, as long as we're still here, we'll get them back. No matter what."

Letting out a snort, Shun laid down in his cot and pulled the thin blanket over himself. "I don't need you to tell me that."


	7. Day 13: All I Ask

_"All I ask is that you do your best out there, Tsukikage."_

Tears burning in his eyes, Tsukikage charged forward, summoning his Twilight Ninja – Shingetsu. "Give Hikage back!" He didn't care if he got hurt, he didn't care about the other Lancers yelling at him to fall back.

_All I ask…_

He only cared about wiping the smug smirk off that Obelisk Force's face. The very same one that had turned his older brother into a card. Shiun'in Sora.

"If only you hadn't intervened with my mission, ninja." The green-eyed child said, his smirk growing even more terrifying. Placing a hand on his hip, Sora cocked his head and drew a card from his pocket. "You can have him back if you want, he was nothing but…" letting the card go, time seemed to slow down as Hikage's card fell down onto the concrete. "TRASH!"

_…is that you do your best out there…_

"ANIJA!"

_Tsukikage._


	8. Day 15: Fashion

"So why do you wear a mask, ninja?" Serena asked. The Lancers all stopped their chatter inside the pub to look at the Fusion user curiously. Even Sawatari who had been on the verge of dozing off was paying attention now.

One table over, Tsukikage blinked at her. "What a strange question to ask out of the blue, Serena-sama."

"I don't see how it is." She stood up, her chair scrapping loudly against the floor. Making her way over, she stood next to him, her hands on her hips. "Show me your face."

Unsure of what to do, he raised his arms in defense. "I rather not."

"Do you have some sort of scar you're hiding?" Dennis picked up a scarf tail and examined it. "I like the fabric, Tsukikage."

The ninja glared at him and snatched it out of the American's hand. "...I'm not. Please don't touch it."

"Then why?"

Sighing in defeat, he raised his hands. The group was now clustered around the table, waiting expectantly for him to pull the mask down. On the inside he was very amused by the sudden interest, but on the surface, he kept his expression perfectly neutral. "It's in the fashion of the Fuuma house to wear these because..." a finger hooked over the edge of the fabric. "we're too pretty for our own good."

"Yeah, sure."

"I don't believe you."

"No one is THAT pretty."

"Enough!" Serena moved and snatched it off his face. The group gasped. Beneath the mask was...another mask! "What is the meaning of this?!"

His eyes crinkled and then he vanished. "FASHION!"


	9. Day 16: Timeskip

It's hard to imagine that two years ago Heartland had been in ruins. The city was vibrant again, though there were the few that still kept a wary eye out.

Among those were the Kurosaki siblings and Yuuto. After all, one had been taken against her will and the other….even Yuuto couldn't explain it.

"I felt weightless…almost like a dream," he had said.

And Shun agreed. When Sakaki Yuuya told him that Yuuto was…for lack of a better expression, inside of him, his first reaction was shock, and the disbelief. Who would ever believe such a strange story?

"Nii-san, are you all right? Are you thinking about the friends you made in Standard?" Ruri's voice stopped his train of thought and he looked at her. She was holding a crepe out to him. He could see Yuuto behind her, quietly eating his.

"A little." Taking the crepe out of her hand, he bit into it, savoring the taste of chocolate and strawberry. "Thanks."

"Yuzu-chan was really nice." Shun grunted at this. He still remembered his first encounter with her and how easily he had mistaken her for Ruri. "You think we could go back and visit them sometime?"

Yuuto perked up at this. "Is it possible?" When had he gotten so tall? "I mean…with the bracelets…it kind of interferes with me ever meeting up with the others."

The two kept chattering, with Shun following behind them. Right now nothing mattered to him. Dimension hopping? Sure. Saving the world? Whatever. As long as they were together forever, Shun didn't care at all.


	10. Day 17: Monsters

"Monster!"

The Academia soldier halted his movements and observed the girl in front of him. She was breathing hard, her knees were shaking, and yet she continued to glare at him with intense hatred.

"I'll kick your ass over and over again and make you apologize to me on your knees!"

Raising a pink eyebrow, Yuri continued with his play. Setting a card face down, he motioned for the girl to make her move. "I can't say I agree with you, little lady. I did ask for you to come quietly." His eyes darkened and he leered at her, "but if you continue to speak to me like that, I'll show you how much of a monster I can be."


	11. Day 18: Too Much

_"You're still showing too much emotion, Tsukikage." Hikage sighed and lowered his shinai. Tsukikage stood opposite of him, scowling. "Again." He launched himself at his younger twin, feinting a swipe at Tsukikage's head._

_Unable to properly block the blow in time, Tsukikage took the hit to his wrist. Wincing, he dropped his weapon to nurse his wound. "Anija, this is pointless. What does kendo have to do with Dueling?"_

_Hikage gave his shinai a swing as if to test it. "Discipline. Honor. Tell me, little brother. Do you know our clan's motto?"_

_Folding his legs beneath himself, Tsukikage sat down on the dojo's floor. "Once a mission is accepted, we will stake our lives to finish it." He tilted his head to the side. "Anija, does this mean we are ready to die? I don't..." he paused and took a shaky breath. "What if one day we take a mission and one of us..." He nearly jumped when he felt Hikage's hand ruffling his hair. "A-anija?"_

_"It won't happen, little brother. If it comes to that, I'll protect you." Hikage gave him a smile smile and then gave him a light bonk on the head. "Now pick up your weapon and face me once more."_

* * *

He really should be inside. The wind is colder up here, but he had to find a quiet place away from the others and the roof seemed like a good spot to hide. No, he wasn't hiding, he just wanted to be alone for a few minutes.

Tsukikage stared at the night sky, fully aware of the tears streaming down his face "Anija...is it okay to show this much?"


	12. Day 19: Not Enough

Sticks littered the floor of the Academia training ground. In the center, a lone figure stood, breathing hard, a sheen of sweat covering his forehead.

"Not enough...it wasn't enough..." Sora grit his teeth and drew a card from his deck. He glared at the card and threw it on the ground amongst the others already piling up. Taking a bite out of a new lollipop he had taken out of his pocket, he sat down and began rummaging through the fallen cards. The only sounds in the training ground were his shuffling and crunching of the candy.

"How did he get that dragon? Did that Xyz loser give it to him?" he picked up a copy of Furnimal Mouse. "I need to go back...I need to defeat him...I didn't try hard enough...I was still holding back..."

_"Didn't you teach Yuzu to Fusion Summon because you were her friend? Sora!"_

_I don't need your friendship, Sakaki Yuuya! Next time...next time, I WILL defeat you!_


	13. Day 20: I'm Home

"We can't go this way," Yuuto took hold of Ruri's hand and pulled her behind him. He peeked around the corner to observe the movements of the Academia soldiers patrolling the area. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to think of a way to get past them without getting noticed.

One soldier must have felt his gaze because he turned his head to look down the alley that they were both hiding in. Yuuto quickly ducked his head so he wouldn't be spotted.

"Yuuto?" Ruri tugged on his arm, trying to get around so she could see what he was looking at. He thrust his arm out to keep her back. "What?"

"Come on, we need to get back to Shun. I'm sure he's starting to get worried." He gave her a smile and patted her shoulder.

"O-okay. So what do we do? This was the fastest way to get home..." folding her arms, she bit her lip and waited for Yuuto's answer.

"We might have to circle back around the east side or..." reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his deck. "I can be a distraction while you run for it." She shook her head. "Yeah, I didn't think you'd like that idea much either."

"We're not children anymore, Yuuto. I'm not a princess that needs protection from her knight." she joked. Ruri then pointed to a small field of debris lying just beyond the alleyway. "What if we took some of those rocks, climb this building and chuck them in the opposite direction to get their attention?"

"That...could work." He made no move to stop her when she began inching her way down the alley.

Kneeling on to the ground, she carefully crawled over to the pile and undid her Resistance bandanna from her leg. Picking a few up, she spread the cloth on the ground and placed them on there as quietly as possible. Securing a knot to the bandanna, she gave Yuuto a peace sign for victory.

"You've got this, Ruri!" Yuuto whispered. He watched her use her small arms to pull herself up the rusty fire escape, and waited. Not even three minutes later, he heard the distant sound of something hard hitting a wall. Taking a chance, he peeked around the building, and watched the soldiers run after the noise. _Just like dogs._

"Yuuto!" He looked up and barely had any time to react to seeing Ruri flying towards him, but he instinctively put his arms out to catch her. The force of impact pushed him back a few feet. "Nice catch!"

"Ow! Ruri, that was dangerous!" She hopped off him and grabbed his hand, pretending she didn't hear him, and began running. "Ruri!"

"Oh hush, my plan was flawless and we can make a break for it now. Come on!"

"Shun-nii! We're home!" the two Resistance members burst through the door in triumph, startling their other comrades.

Shun, whom had been busy tinkering with his duel disk, raised a hand in greeting. "Welcome home."


	14. Day 22: Magical

Nighttime always seemed magical to him somehow. Perhaps it was the way his namesake was ever changing, unlike the Sun, who never wavered. It reminded him how very different they were. Sighing, the blue-haired teen folded his arms across his chest and shifted against the wall he was leaning against.

It was Tsukikage's turn to keep watch in case of an attack, however unlikely that was, but you could never be sure. That was what Akaba Reiji had told him when he gave him his own mission. 'Protect Reira and Serena at all costs.'

Snorting, he became very aware of the footsteps coming up the stairs. It wasn't time to switch yet and right now, he didn't exactly feel like entertaining anyone.

"Ninja." He didn't have to turn his head to know it was Serena calling him. Not once had she ever referred to him by his name.

"Tsukikage." He reminded her again. For a moment, Tsukikage wondered if it would do any good. She was so keen on easily forgetting. "Serena-sama, you shouldn't be out here. Please go back inside, you need your rest."

She ignored this and sat down next to him to watch the city below them. So far, the Lancers hadn't had any luck in finding potential Duelist to help their cause. "Who can sleep with all of them snoring so loudly?"

That surprised him. The Lancers tended to sleep in their own little corners of their given rooms, and she had been given one of her own. "I do not understand what you mean."

Hugging her knees to her chest, she stared at him with those green eyes of hers. "You wouldn't." Her words sounded a little bitter.

From what little info Akaba Reiji had given him, Tsukikage knew that Serena had spent most of her life living in a gilded cage at Academia. Most likely, she didn't have any close friends.

"Hikage said that the night is a magical time."

"Your brother?"

He nodded. "The stars are your friends, the moon is your light..." he paused and muttered, "and I am your shadow."

"Hm?" she wasn't paying attention. Good. He had no idea why he had said that last part. It didn't suit him at all.

"Think nothing of it, Serena-sama. Allow me to escort you back to your room." He bowed to her and extended a hand to help her up. She scoffed at it and stood on her own. "Sere-?"

"I can manage on my own, Ninja. I trust that you can keep us safe." And then she disappeared behind the door, leaving him alone again.


	15. Day 23: Replacement

It had been little over a day since her bracelet had transported her and the white-clad duelist to a different dimension. It had taken some time to tell him that she was not Rin, but Yuzu, and to explain exactly what was going on.

He had introduced himself to her as Yuugo (not Fusion!) and said they were in Synchro City*. When she had inquired about his D-Wheel, he seemed more than happy to explain to her how it worked. Apparently, instead of Entertainment Dueling, they had Riding Duels. Card games on motorcycles, she giggled to herself.

"Ah, I hope you don't mind the mess! It's been a while since I've been home…" Yuugo looked flustered, as he paced around his garage, picking things up and tripping over others. "Rin usually…"

Yuzu held up her hand. "Don't worry about it, it's fine." He nodded to her and began rooting through a box of tools. "I've been in Yuuya's room after all."

"Yuuya?" he ceased his movements and pulled out what looked like an impact driver. Pointing it at himself, he asked, "The one in your world that looks like me?"

"Mhm." She stayed quiet after that, watching him for a few minutes. Puzzled at what he was doing, she stood up, straightened her (borrowed) clothes and went over to him. "What are you working on?"

He seemed almost startled by her sudden appearance; so lost was he in his task. "Rin!" She shook her head and he remembered who it wasn't. "Oh…I just need to replace a few parts. They were damaged when I crashed into a pole."

"A pole?"

Reaching into his toolbox, he pulled out a wrench and made a face. "…yes. It showed up suddenly and well…" he tapped it against the D-Wheel's side. "Just some new replacements and she'll be good as new."


	16. Day 24: Coffee

The scent of coffee reminded him of the days back at the Sakaki household. The days before he was found out and forced to return to the Fusion Dimension. The food didn't hold a candle to Yoko Sakaki's cooking either, he thought to himself, stabbing at his potatoes and putting them inside his mouth.

"You seem angrier today than usual, Sora-kun." Sora looked up from his breakfast plate to the person sitting across from him.

"Oh? What makes you say that, Yuuri?" After their mission failures, the Professor introduced them to each other, insisting that they 'get along because you will be partners from now on'. Sora wasn't too fond of the idea, since Yuuri looked too much like Yuuya, despite having the almost exact opposite personality.

Taking a sip from his coffee cup, Yuuri let himself relax before answering him. "You have mutilated your breakfast and are staring at me like you'd like to take your fork and feast on my innards. My, my, you're a bloodthirsty one, aren't you? I like that in a person."

Swallowing his food, Sora continued to glare at his 'partner.' "Too bad that I don't care about what you think of me." Picking up his half-eaten plate, he left the room.

Yuuri leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. He picked up Sora's forgotten cup and drained it in one go. "What a waste."


	17. Day 25: Ready, Set, Action!

It is a sight to behold. Two duelists locked in battle, neither backing away from the other's challenge. Their friends cheer from the stands amongst the crowd, all anticipating the match.

"Didn't think we'd be dueling again so soon, Gongenzaka." Yuuya Sakaki activated his duel disk and waited for his opponent.

Giving his long-time friend a grin, Gongenzaka followed suit. "Aah, so it is, Yuuya!" Hard to imagine that it wasn't long ago that they were all hopping dimensions, all to stop a dastardly plot and to rescue their friends. "Duelists locked in battle!"

"Kicking against the earth and dancing in the air along side their monsters!"

"They storm through the field!"

"Behold! This is the newest and greatest evolution of dueling!"

The audience chimed in with them both as they shouted in unison. "Aaaaaactiiiiiooooon...DUEL!"

Drawing five cards, Yuuya fanned out his opening hand. Taking two cards, he set them both on his duel disk. I summon Entermate Silverclaw to the stage! I then set one card and end my turn. Get ready for a new show in entertainment, Gongenzaka!"

"I'll be waiting!"


	18. Day 26: Flying

The way the wind blew around him while riding his Raid Raptors always gave Shun a sense of freedom and thrills. The sky was his domain and he was King. And like a King, he could survey his land, keeping an eye out for any possible sight of danger and lead his comrades to safety.

That's how it used to be.

These days, he follows the other Lancers, occasionally exchanging words with them. Keeps them close, but as far as possible. Shun sees no point in it now since you could lose any one of them so easily. Still, he flies behind the rest of the group, making sure none of them stray from their small formation. Like the falcons he so proudly uses, he'll keep an eye on this brood. Until he takes back his sister. And his best friend is returned.


	19. Day 27: Sin

Would he be forgiven if he told Sakaki Yuuya the truth? Fuuma Tsukikage stays silent as he watches the other Lancers file in to the room, waiting for Reiji to show up. Serena stands by him, not because they are friends but because she'd rather be near him than either Sawatari Shingo or Dennis Macfield. He can agree with that. Both of them are a little too energetic for his liking. She greets him and nothing more. So unlike her counterpart.

He remembers their brief encounter. Hiiragi Yuzu had also been energetic but easy to talk to. She didn't complain about being carried and actually thanked him for saving her. Behind his mask, he grit his teeth, regretting leaving her in the iceberg field to fend for herself.

Sure, Serena was given priority over Yuzu, but Tsukikage felt responsible for her disappearance. No. They were both to blame. Him and his brother. Had Hikage waited, they could have split up to watch over the two girls. Hikage could have looked after Yuzu and he could still have tailed Serena. Or vice versa.

"You're late, Sakaki Yuuya!" Sawatari's sudden outburst makes him look up. There stands Yuuya, who looks tired but oddly calmer than Tsukikage thought he would be. He wants to go over to the boy and explain that Hiiragi Yuzu's disappearance was his fault, not Yuuya's. That the one to bear that sin was him.

But this is not the time nor the place. Akaba Reiji appears and tells them that they'll be going to the Synchro dimension first. When he places the card given to him into his duel disk, he keeps an eye on Yuuya and asks himself again. _Would I be forgiven for my sin?_


	20. Day 28: Innocence

As a child, Hiiragi Yuzu always loved flowers. She was the picture of pure innocence with flowers in her hair and making daisy chain crowns for her friends and father.

Shuzou pauses in front of his daughter's bedroom door, his lips thinned into a small line. With a hand hovering over the door knob, he hesitates and pulls it back. He knows full well that when he opens that door, his precious daughter won't be there to angrily scold him about not knocking. Still, he takes a breath to center himself and pulls the door open.

It's dark inside the room, the only light is a small sliver of moonlight coming from her closed window. He stands over the threshold, his fingers tightening over a dried crown of daisies.

"Yuzu..." he enters the room and goes to her desk. There are pictures of them together in a few frames as well as some of Yuuya and the Sakakis. One picture in particular catches his eye. Setting the crown on top of the desk's surface, he picks up the picture frame, fully aware of the tears leaking out of his eyes.

It's a picture of them together with Yuuya, making the same crown he had just set on the table. Yoko had been the photographer that day, telling them all to smile and look at the camera. Yusho could be seen in the background, bringing the group their lunches. Shuzou still remembered how terrible the riceballs had tasted. Yoko later explained that she had asked Yusho to make their meal. The man did not understand that there are certain ingredients that should not be in riceballs.

Yuzu had laughed and called Yusho's cooking awful and made him promise to never make riceballs again. Shuzou had agreed and said that next time, he'd be the one to bring lunch.

Fingers traced Yuzu's outline in the photograph and he sat down on her chair, sobbing in defeat. "Yuuya...I beg of you. Please bring my daughter home."


	21. Day 29: Bonds

_"Who did you bond with that made you capable of Xyz, Sakaki Yuuya?"_

Akaba Reiji stared at the monitors in his control room, remembering his own words to the Pendulum user. It's not like he needed Yuuya to answer. He had already figured it had been with the Xyz Duelist that Kurosaki had called 'Yuuto'.

Yuuto. A duelist who looked like Yuuya. He had already known about Serena and Hiiragi Yuzu having lookalikes in the other dimensions, but he had not been aware that the same had applied to Sakaki Yuuya. Just what was so important about those two?

The boy had been willing to strike him for Yuzu. His bond with that girl had enabled him to discover Pendulum Fusion. And because of his bond with this Yuuto character, Xyz Pendulum.

He looked over the footage of the Synchro Duelist taking on three Obelisk Force members by himself and defeating them. "So in theory, a bond with someone who uses true Synchro can pave the path for Pendulum Synchro..." Reiji suddenly had an epiphany. "Of course."

Pressing a button on his control panel, he called for Nakajima to bring him the results of the tests they did on Yuuto, Serena, and Shun's duel disks. All they had to do was cross over, not to Academia, but to Synchro. He almost laughed at the simplicity of it. Form bonds, make allies, defeat Academia and his father.

He leaned forward and tented his fingers to rest his chin on. Bonds, hm? He was a prodigy, yet he couldn't help but admire the boy who had started with nothing become even more powerful than he was. All Akaba Reiji could do was follow Sakaki Yuuya's footsteps. That was his bond with him.


	22. Day 30: Tomorrow

"It's tomorrow, isn't it anija?" Tsukikage tugged on his hair, pulling it loose from his ponytail. His mask was still secured around his neck, but he hadn't completely removed it yet. Yawning, he stretched out his arms and allowed himself to fall back into his pillow. Today had been a tiring one.

Hikage nodded from his bed, his attention focused on the cards spread over the sheets. Picking up a trap card, he tossed it over to Tsukikage. "That one is better suited for you. Don't lose it."

Tsukikage's arm shot up and caught the card, He turned it over to read the description. _A Barrier trap?_ Sitting up, he picked up his deck from the nightstand and slipped it in along with his other cards. _So that means that tomorrow I will be on the defensive._ "Thank you..."

After Hikage's match against some poor soul from the Kieto School earlier that day, Akaba Reiji had called on them and said he had been impressed with their skills. He said he was interested in hiring them for a certain someone's protection and warned them about a a group called 'Academia'. They had both found it a bit strange, but they still agreed. Tomorrow instead of the quarter-finals, all the remaining duelists will participate in a battle royale. Tsukikage closed his eyes and slipped under the covers. Well, he'll worry about that tomorrow. Right now, all he wanted was to get some rest.

* * *

Hikage finally finished up building his deck. Gathering up his cards, he began to shuffle them. "Remember this, Tsukikage. Tomorrow will be a war, but we must protect that girl. Understand?" He turned to his younger brother but saw that Tsukikage had already fallen asleep. Smiling, he stood up and walked over to the wall to turn the lights off. "Good night, little brother."

* * *

**A/N:** And so ends the Arc-V 30 Day challenge. Thank you for reading!


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